Page 16 - Sharad Pawar

Joining Maha govt a collective decision to provide stability: Praful Patel

NCP working president Praful Patel has said the decision to join the Shiv Sena-BJP government was a collective one which was taken by the party to provide political stability and ensure the development of Maharashtra and the country. Talking to reporters, Patel took potshots at Congress and Rahul Gandhi while referring to the Patna meeting of Opposition parties. Queried whether he has ditched NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Patel rolled up the window of his car and left without answering. He said the decision to join the state government was taken for the welfare and development of the state and the country. "The country has progressed under the leadership of Narendra Modi in the last nine years. I had been to Patna for the meeting of opposition parties. I saw what happened there. In the main opposition party Congress there is confusion about whether Rahul Gandhi is the leader or not. We don't know who runs that party," Patel told reporters. When asked to spell out the exact number of MLA

TN CM Stalin speaks to NCP chief Sharad Pawar, expresses solidarity

DMK President and Chief Minister M K Stalin on Monday expressed his party's support to Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar, whose party has suffered a split. Stalin spoke to the Maharashtra leader over the phone and conveyed the DMK's support to the NCP in taking on the BJP, sources said. On July 2, Sharad Pawar's nephew and NCP leader Ajit Pawar led a split in the NCP, taking eight party MLAs with him to ally with the BJP in Maharashtra. He took oath as deputy chief minister and the eight NCP leaders were also sworn in as ministers in the alliance government led by the Shiv Sena breakaway Eknath Shinde and the BJP. In May, when Sharad Pawar said he would step down as NCP chief, Stalin was among those who appealed to him to reconsider his decision, as the veteran leader's heft would be required to forge a secular alliance ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Sharad Pawar eventually withdrew his decision -- to resign from his position of national president of NCP -- in

Sharad Pawar rejects speculation that nephew's rebellion has his blessings

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Monday rejected speculation that his nephew Ajit Pawar's rebellion has his blessings. Addressing a press conference here, Sharad Pawar also said he has launched a statewide tour to strengthen the NCP and boost the confidence of party workers, unfazed by actions of a few leaders. On Sunday, Ajit Pawar led a vertical split in the NCP to become the deputy chief minister. Eight other NCP leaders were also sworn in as ministers in the Eknath Shinde-BJP government. Asked whether Ajit Pawar's rebellion on Sunday had his blessings, the NCP chief said, "It is a mean thing to say. Only those with a mean and low intellect can say this." "I have set out on a tour of the state and galvanize the cadre. They should not feel disillusioned with what some leaders have done," Sharad Pawar said.

NCP's Goa unit pledges support to Sharad Pawar after mutiny in party

In the wake of the political developments in Maharashtra that led to a vertical split in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), its Goa unit on Monday pledged support for party chief Sharad Pawar. Talking to PTI, the party's state unit president Jose Philip D'Souza said the entire unit of Goa is strongly behind Sharad Pawar and will not break away from the NCP. NCP leader Ajit Pawar on Sunday led a vertical split in the party to become the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra, shocking his uncle Sharad Pawar, who founded the party 24 years ago. Eight NCP leaders were also sworn in as ministers in the Eknath Shinde-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government. The entire unit has faith in Sharad Pawar's capabilities to rebuild the party even after such moves by some leaders, D'Souza said. We have seen him do it some 15 years ago when a similar incident had happened, he said. D'Souza further said he will hold a meeting of his unit later in the day to discuss the political developments in

'Dirty tricks': Opposition hits back at BJP after NCP split in Maharashtra

Ajit Pawar's decision to abandon his uncle Sharad Pawar and join the BJP prompted many Opposition leaders to call the NCP veteran

Need to fight forces creating communal divide in Maharashtra: Sharad Pawar

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Monday said there was a need to fight forces creating communal divide in Maharashtra and the country. Addressing NCP workers and supporters in Karad a day after Ajit Pawar led a vertical split in the party to become the deputy chief minister in the Eknath Shinde-led government, Sharad Pawar also said "some of our people fell prey to BJP's tactics to break other parties." "Attempts are being made to create communal divide in Maharashtra and the country. We need to fight forces that create fear among peace-loving citizens," he said. "We need to protect democracy in the country," he added. Sharad Pawar visited the memorial of his mentor and Maharashtra's first chief minister Yashwantrao Chavan in Karad and paid floral tributes to him. The 82-year-old leader's visit to late Chavan's memorial 'Pritisangam' on the occasion of Guru Purnima is being seen as a show of strength by him, a day after his nephew Ajit Pawar led a vertical sp

NCP leaders had hint of BJP's 'intention' to break party: Rohit Pawar

NCP MLA Rohit Pawar, the grandnephew of party chief Sharad Pawar, on Monday claimed senior leaders had an inkling of BJP's "intention" to break the party, but were clueless about Ajit Pawar's swift move to join hands with the ruling alliance. Speaking to reporters in Maharashtra's Pune city, Rohit Pawar said he is firmly with NCP chief Sharad Pawar. On Sunday, Ajit Pawar led a vertical split in the NCP to become the deputy chief minister, shocking his uncle Sharad Pawar, who founded the party 24 years ago. Eight NCP leaders were also sworn in as ministers in the Eknath Shinde-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government. Reacting to the developments, Rohit Pawar, the grandson of Sharad Pawar's elder brother Appasaheb Pawar, said, We had no clue of Ajit Pawar joining hands with BJP. But the BJP was keen on breaking the NCP. We knew this much." "However, going by all these developments, we wonder whether people like me made a mistake by joining politics," he added. Asked about Ajit Pawa

NCP Chief Pawar to address public meeting in Maharashtra's Karad today

The NCP chief along with former Maharashtra Chief Minister YB Chavan are then expected to address party supporters in Karad

NCP files disqualification petition against 9 MLAs including Ajit Pawar

We have filed a disqualification petition with the speaker of the assembly, and we will send hard copies as soon as possible. This disqualification petition was filed against nine leaders

Developments in NCP won't impact Oppn unity: Supriya on Pawar's rebellion

Hours after NCP leader Ajit Pawar took oath as deputy chief minister in the Eknath Shinde government, party's working president and his cousin Supriya Sule on Sunday said the developments in the party will not impact the Opposition's unity. Addressing a press conference late night in Mumbai, Sule said her father and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar's stature will rise further. "Our credibility will only rise after this," she said. She also said that Ajit Pawar may have different views, but she can never fight with her elder brother and that she will always love him as a sister. Ajit Pawar on Sunday joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra as deputy chief minister, while eight other party leaders were inducted as ministers. Sule, whose elevation as party working president last month is said to have triggered Ajit Pawar's revolt, said since 2019 when he first joined the short-lived government led by Devendra Fadnavis to 2023, she has matured a lot with

Ajit Pawar doesn't have support of majority of MLAs as claimed: NCP

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Sunday night said Ajit Pawar, who has joined the Eknath Shinde-led government as Deputy Chief Minister with some leaders, doesn't have the support of 36 MLAs as being claimed. NCP national spokesperson Clyde Crasto also claimed that the party working president Supriya Sule and state unit chief Jayant Patil are contacting all the 53 MLAs and the picture will become clearer by Monday. The NCP has 53 MLAs in the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly and Ajit Pawar needs the support of at least 36 legislators to not attract the provisions of anti-defection law. "Ajit Pawar doesn't have the support of 36 MLAs as being claimed," claimed Crasto. Ajit Pawar took oath as Deputy CM in the Shiv Sena-BJP government on Sunday afternoon, while eight other MLAs of NCP were sworn in as ministers. In the evening, sources cited a letter submitted to Raj Bhavan to claim that Ajit Pawar enjoys the support of more than 40 MLAs and over six of nine MLCs of his party.

2019 redux? Ajit Pawar breaks ranks, takes oath as Maharashtra Deputy CM

Sidelined by Sharad Pawar, he switches sides to become Maha deputy CM

Kharge, Rahul Gandhi speak with NCP chief Sharad Pawar, extend support

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Rahul Gandhi spoke with NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday and extended support to him, after the Maharashtra strongman faced a revolt by his nephew Ajit Pawar who along eight other leaders joined the Eknath Shinde-led government. The Congress said that the BJP's "washing machine" has resumed its operations as a number of these leaders had been facing serious corruption charges and have now got a "clean chit". In a surprising move, Ajit Pawar took oath as the deputy chief minister, while eight legislators of his Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) took oath as ministers in the government led by the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) earlier in the day. Congress president Kharge and Gandhi spoke with NCP president Sharad Pawar and extended support to him, AICC general secretary K C Venugopal said on Twitter. "The BJP's dirty tricks department is working on overdrive in Maharashtra. This is not a legitimately elected ...

Decision to be taken against those who violated party line: Sharad Pawar

NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday said a decision has to be taken on those who violated the party line and joined the Eknath Shinde government, indicating that action would be taken against Ajit Pawar and other leaders who became part of the ruling dispensation. In a surprising move, Ajit Pawar took oath as the deputy chief minister, while eight MLAs of his Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) took oath as ministers in the government led by the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) earlier in the day. Addressing a press conference here, Sharad Pawar said his endeavour after this development would be to travel as much as possible within state and the country, and build relations with people. Pawar said he would not fight over anyone saying anything by taking the NCP's name, but would go to people instead. "Those who violated the party line and took oath, a decision has to be taken on them," he said. He said some party leaders were nervous about probes by the Enforcement ...

Party MLAs taking oath in Shinde govt have no official support: NCP

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) spokesperson Mahesh Tapase on Sunday said the oath taken by nine NCP MLAs as ministers in the Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government does not have official support of the party. Senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar was sworn in as deputy chief minister while eight MLAs of the party took oath as ministers in the government led by the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (NCP). In a video message, Tapase said NCP's party workers, district president, taluka president, youth and women are with party's national leader Sharad Pawar. "The oath-taking ceremony in Maharashtra was part of Operation Lotus and it has no official support of NCP. Those who took oath, it is their personal decision and not that of the NCP," he said. Elections to the 288-member state Assembly are due next year. The political development comes a year after a revolt led by Shinde against the Shiv Sena (then undivided) led to the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. On

NCP leaders at Ajit Pawar's house; Sharad Pawar says unaware of meeting

Nationalist Congress Party's senior leader Ajit Pawar on Sunday met some party leaders and MLAs at his official residence in Mumbai. However, NCP president Sharad Pawar, who was in Pune, said he was unaware of the meet, but added that Ajit Pawar, as leader of opposition (LoP) in the Maharashtra Assembly, can call a meeting of legislators. The meeting assumes significance in the wake of Ajit Pawar recently saying he was not keen on continuing as the LoP and wanted to work in the party organisation. Senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal and party's working president Supriya Sule were among the leaders present at the meeting held at Ajit Pawar's official residence 'Devgiri', while state party president Jayant Patil was not present. Some MLAs were also present in the meeting. The agenda of the meet was not known. Meanwhile, Sharad Pawar told reporters in Pune that he was unaware of the meeting in Mumbai. 'On July 6, I have called a meeting of senior leaders and decisions related to the

Shinde-led Maha govt incapable of maintaining law and order: Pawar

Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday slammed the Eknath Shinde government, which completed one year in power on June 30, for its "incapability" to maintain law and order in Maharashtra. Shinde became chief minister on June 30 last year after a successful rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray split the Shiv Sena and brought down the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, of which Pawar's NCP was a part along with the Congress. Queried about the first anniversary of the Ekanth Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government, Pawar said, "There is a serious question of law and order in the state. Attacks on women, gangs with koytas (sharp edged weapon) are serious issues. The state government is incapable of maintaining law and order." The opposition has been attacking the Shinde government over communal flare-ups in several places over posters of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb and 18th century Mysore rule Tipu Sultan, as well as crimes against women, including some in which the accused used ..

Sharad Pawar taunts Fadnavis with 'devendrawasi' jibe over bus accidents

Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday took a jibe at Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in connection with a bus accident on the Samruddhi Expressway that killed 25 by claiming people had told him such fatalities become "devendrawasis". The 701-kilometre Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi Mahamarg, which is now operational on a 601 kilometre stretch from Vidarbha's largest city to Bharvir in Nashik, is considered the brainchild of Fadnavis. However, it has been plagued by accidents since it was opened for the public on December 12 last year, which have killed several score people. A bus carrying 33 passengers from Nagpur to Pune on the Samruddhi Expressway overturned and caught fire in Sindkhedraja in Buldhana at 1.32 am, killing 25 occupants. "A number of accidents have taken place on the Samruddhi Expressway. I have once travelled on the route. When people were asked about their experience, they told me the one who dies in an accident on the Samruddhi ..

Gave his wicket on googly: Sharad Pawar taunts Fadnavis on oath ceremony

Pawar asked why in 2019, Devendra Fadnavis took oath discreetly in the early morning when he was sure about our support

Next Oppn meeting in Bengaluru, not Shimla on July 13-14: Sharad Pawar

A total of 32 leaders from various parties attended the first meeting hosted by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar at his residence in Patna